Irrigation in India

Canals are the major means of irrigation in India by area covered, followed by tube wells and tanks. Canals are part of large multi-purpose river valley projects and distribute water from reservoirs to agricultural fields across vast distances.

Peninsular India's hard rock terrain makes canals difficult (no perennial rivers to divert), but tanks are ideal for storing seasonal monsoon runoff. Tank irrigation has been practiced for centuries in South India (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra). Wells/tube wells require drilling through hard rock. Canals dominate in North India's alluvial plains.

The Pong Dam is indeed constructed on the Beas River in Himachal Pradesh, India. It's one of the highest earthfill dams and creates the Gobind Sagar Lake. The dam is used for hydroelectric power generation and irrigation, making it a significant infrastructure project in the region.

In arid regions, high evaporation causes salts to concentrate in tank water. When wells are dug near tanks, the fresher well water mixes with and dilutes the more saline tank water through percolation, making the combined water more usable for irrigation and drinking.

Irrigation in India comes from multiple sources - rainfall (monsoon dependence), rivers (canals and diversion), and groundwater (wells and tube wells). All three sources are used either individually or in combination depending on the region and infrastructure available.

The Bhakra canal system irrigates approximately 10.6% of India's total irrigated land. This makes it one of the largest canal irrigation systems in the country, playing a crucial role in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan's agricultural development.

India's irrigation target is 118 million hectares. This goal includes both gross and net irrigated area, reflecting the need to expand irrigation infrastructure to increase agricultural productivity and ensure food security for the growing population.

The total irrigated land in India is 8.10 crore hectares (81 million hectares). This represents the net irrigated area under various irrigation sources including canals, wells, and tube wells. Option A is the correct figure.

North India has the most extensive canal irrigation system due to the presence of major rivers (Ganga, Yamuna, Indus tributaries) and historical development of canal networks. States like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh have high reliance on canal irrigation from these river systems.

Canals are considered the most suitable means of large-scale irrigation as they can serve vast areas, support multiple crops, and provide reliable water supply. Wells and ponds are more localized and limited in their coverage. Canals are essential for agricultural productivity in major farming regions.

The Western Yamuna Canal is drawn from Tajewala (Tajwala) headworks on the Yamuna River in Yamunanagar district of Haryana. This canal system irrigates large areas in Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan. Okhla is a downstream location on the same canal system.

The Bhakra-Nangal Dam was constructed in 1964. This massive multipurpose project on the Sutlej River was completed after several years of construction and has been crucial for irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, and flood control in northern India.

The Doodgaon (Dudhganga) Canal is sourced from the Yamuna River. This canal is part of the irrigation infrastructure in the Yamuna basin, supporting agricultural activities in the region.

The Ferozepur (Ferojpur) Canal draws its water from the Sutlej (Satluj) River. This canal is a significant irrigation project in Punjab, supporting agriculture in the Ferozepur region.

The Upper Ganga Canal originates at Haridwar on the Ganga River and flows through Saharanpur district. It is one of the oldest and most important canals in India, built during the colonial period.

The Lower Ganga Canal was constructed in 1831. It is a significant irrigation project that serves the agricultural plains downstream of Haridwar, supplementing the earlier Upper Ganga Canal.

The Mahanadi Canal was constructed in 1927. It is part of the irrigation development in the Mahanadi basin, supporting agriculture in Odisha and surrounding regions.

The Bhakra-Nangal Dam is constructed on the Satluj (Sutlej) River. It is one of India's largest multipurpose river valley projects, providing irrigation, hydroelectric power, and flood control.

The Eastern Yamuna Canal was constructed in 1831. It was built to provide irrigation water to the western districts of Uttar Pradesh and parts of Haryana, utilizing the Yamuna River's flow.

Tube well irrigation is mainly concentrated in Uttar Pradesh. UP has the highest number of tube wells in India due to its extensive agricultural lands, favorable groundwater conditions, and flat terrain facilitating well construction.

Bhakra-Nangal (Bhakhara Nagal) is considered the biggest multipurpose project in India. Built across the Satluj River, it provides irrigation to millions of hectares, generates significant hydropower, and offers flood control benefits.

The region north and east of the Ganga basin experiences very high rainfall, has undulating terrain, and canal construction is expensive there. All these factors make canal irrigation less viable compared to tube wells or other methods.

The East Yamuna Canal is one of the oldest canals in India, taking off from the Yamuna River at the Tajewala headworks near Saharanpur, but it is often associated with the region near Narora in historical irrigation contexts or specific canal systems.

The Pariyar project is located in Kerala. This likely refers to the Periyar or Parambikulam Aliyar projects which are major water resource development projects in the state, involving inter-basin water transfers.

 Corrct option is 2.